Chylothorax is a condition in which the chest cavity fills up with lymph fluid technically called chyle. The chyle is a milky substance made up of cellular debris, fat, white blood cells, immune particles and other substances This fluid is designed to move through the body, but can pool in the chest cavity if there is “drainage” problem within your dog. The fluid accumulation can be fatal unless it is reduced/drained from the chest cavity because the fluid accumulation interferes with your dog’s ability to breathe effectively and her heart’s ability to work properly.

Symptoms include difficulty breathing, coughing, loss of appetite and a lack of energy. In general, the condition will cause your dog discomfort as it can be likened to the sensation of having someone sitting on your chest.

In many cases, it is impossible to determine why this condition has occurred in which case the chylothorax will be called idiopathic chylothorax which essentially means chylothorax of an unknown origin. However, in some cases chylothorax can be the result of underlying heart disease, circulatory disorders, tumors, or even sometimes wounds.